Indie Wedding Guide

Mindful Eco-Chic Wedding Ideas by Emily Anderson

To have a mindful wedding you don't need to make major sacrifices.  A slight change in your approach can make a world of difference.  First, think about why you want certain things at your wedding.  Is it because it's what you think should happen?  Or is it because you are listening to all of the messages being directed at you by the wedding industry.  It is important to realize that the wedding industry has gotten significantly bigger in the last 20 years.  Consumers spend the most money in the shortest amount of time from engagement to marriage, making large purchases such as homes, and cars.   

The idea of simplifying your wedding is antithetical to what all of the bridal magazines are telling you to do.  But this is the first step toward creating an eco-chic wedding.

What's good for us is often good for the environment.  And so, when we decide to simplify our wedding plans, what happens?  Less to do, less stress, it becomes easier, we become happier, and our impact on the environment is reduced.  One example is whether or not to send a save the date card.  I say skip the save-the-date and send an email instead. In this digital age, you can find many talented graphic designers who will literally create a "custom identity" for you and your wedding. Sunali of Unruly Things is one of my favorites; she does beautiful work and can design everything for you from your evite, to your printed invitations.

                                     

- Emily Anderson, Eco-Chic Weddings

The Non-Essentials with Guest Author Anne Chertoff From "I Will to I Do"

The Indie Wedding Guide would like to welcome our guest author Anne Chertoff From " I will to I do".  She writes a fabulous column on iVillage full of fabulous tips from planning to etiquette and everything in between. We hope you enjoy her latest tips on The Non-Essentials of your wedding, things you can really live witout - a bathroom hospitality basket, seat covers, SUV/Hummer Limos etc.  

The dress, cake and flowers are some of the signature elements of a wedding, but there are a lot of details that while they're nice to have, they aren't necessary. And since they are not essential pieces, you can save yourself a lot of money by deciding not to have these elements early on. Here are some if the items I'm talking about:

 

Hospitality basket for the restrooms. You do not need to supply your guests with toiletries in the bathroom. Check with the location manager to make sure that there is a first-aid kit incase someone needs a band-aid. Your guests will come with their hair done, so they won't need a brush or hairspray, and in reality the items you put in a hospitality basket will more than likely end up being a favor your guests take home, than something they'll actually use during your wedding.

 Chair covers. Unless the chairs you are using, or renting, are really awful – broken, bent, etc… - you don't need to rent chair covers for them. No one will leave your wedding saying, "That was a lovely wedding, but I think they should have covered those chairs." I promise.

 

   Over the top transportation. You can arrive at your wedding in whatever type of vehicle you like, but there is no rule that says you must show up in a limo. You can order a town car or just arrive in your own car (like I did). If you want to arrive or leave in a limo, a classic black or white stretch is fine. Larger limos (Hummers) are not only bad for the environment, they cost a lot of money, and can be difficult to get in and out of in a wedding dress.

 

 Save-the-date cards. Originally sent to notify guests of destination wedding details, today, save-the-date cards are sent for weddings held anywhere. But you don't need to send save-the-date cards at all. But if you do send them, only mail cards to people you are definitely planning on inviting to the wedding. Remember that whoever receives a save-the-date card also receives a wedding invitation.

{All contributed content/photos in this feature © Anne Chertoff From I Will to I Do Please do not copy or redistribute without permission}.

 

 

Wine Talk with Guest Expert, Anu Karwa

Why can wine be one of the nicest things about your wedding celebration.

Wine can be one of the most personal touches at your wedding.

· Does the bride or groom come from a wine-friendly area? Pick a wine from their home state or country.

· Did the couple vacation in wine country? 

· Have they picked a wine to be their new “home” wine? 

· Do they have a special restaurant (first date, proposal spot, dream destination) - pick a wine off the menu. 

· Is the couple going to a honeymoon spot known for its wine (Napa, Australia, France, Italy, Egypt, even India)

 

Create a small tent card with an explanation as to why these wines are special to the couple. Place it in front of the wine or near the bar. This give guests a little insight into the couple.

- Anu Karwa, Swirl Events 

What types of wines are good for weddings? Guest Expert, Anu Karwa

What types of wines are good for weddings :

When picking wine for the wedding, you want to pick one white wine and one red wine that will go well with everyone’s meals and will be widely liked. Don’t pick extreme or non-food friendly wines, eg. a sweet white wine, a big Barolo, red Zinfandel, etc.

 

My picks for wedding whites include: a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (especially the Marlborough region) or a dry Riesling from Washington State or Alsace. For reds, I would pick a Pinot Noir (know as Red Burgundy in France.) Great choices come out of Oregon and the classic region of Burgundy. They’re very food friendly or just as an aperitif and easily please a wide taste range.

 

To save money, skip the regions with big brand names like Napa and Bordeaux. Pick an up and coming region that people aren’t as aware of like South Africa. One of my favorite value picks is wine from Chile or Argentina.

 

My favorite wine tip for weddings involves the Champagne. Champagne is a major wedding expense (since people usually budget 2 glasses per guest.) Instead, pick a Prosecco, a sparkling wine from Italy, or a Cava, a sparkling wine from Spain. Both are equally elegant and you can find fantastic bottles for about $12!

- Anu Karwa, Swirl Events

Wine Series with our Guest Expert, Anu Karwa of Swirl Events

Anu Karwa is the founder and CEO of Swirl Events. Anu created Swirl Events to combine her passion for wine and bringing her friends together for memorable evenings. After earning her Advanced Certification from the internationally recognized Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) – and through her tasting experiences – she realized wine did not have to be complicated or stuffy. Thus began her dream of sharing her passion through Swirl. Stay with us this week as Anu indulges us with everything we need to know about wine.

First up, What's the difference between organic and non-organic wine (taste, cost?)

There are different categories for organic wine – whether it’s labeled 100% organic, biodynamic or ‘wine made from organic grapes’ (the biggest category) the commonality between these wines versus conventional ones is big - organic wines do not use any synthetic herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers.  It’s no wonder that there’s an organic wine movement going on since grapes are one of the most heavily sprayed fruit. It makes me feel a little bit better knowing that the farmers might have used diluted chamomile to spray the grapes vs. a strong pesticide! Plus, organic wines and especially biodynamic wines can taste fresher and more vibrant. And unlike many organic fruits or vegetables, the price of wines from organic grapes isn’t any higher than wines from conventional grapes.

Stay tuned for part two of our wine series, as Anu shares with us the best wines for weddings.

Clara French Ceramiques

It was love at first site when I came across Clara French Ceramiques. I immediately dove in to find more about their exquisite line.

"Clara French is a local artisan run studio creating exquisite handcrafted wedding cake plates and pedestal cake stands for a limited number of weddings each year."

Truly intriguing, Clara French Ceramiques is a team of two sisters Micaela Willis and Bethany Woll. This duo created Clara French, to honor their great great grandmother. A nineteenth century painter, Clara French was the first female artist in their family.

If you are looking for something truly personal, Clara French offers personalized cake plates for every guest. They can work with the color scheme of your wedding with their custom glazing process.

My most favorite part of Clara French is that they offer rent-able pieces. Micaela says, "Renting provides the products/services brides need at a discount and places limited stress on the  environment.  Instead of remaking a product we 'reuse' it, recycling at  it's best!  Also, I think renting is a great option for budget conscious brides, they can 'borrow' a cake stand to create a lavish, colorful center piece at a fraction of it's cost.

Fall in love with Clara French just as I have. Click on the file below for ordering info and more.
Download order_2008_clara_french_ceramics.pdf

- Gabreial
Vintage Indie

Wedding Profile - A green bride's wedding details

Kate Harrison is the author of "The Green Bride's Guide" which will be released in December 2008. Kate shares some fun details about her wedding with the Indie Wedding guide. You can find Kate on her blog The Green Bride Guide.

    

When my husband and I got married it was important to us to minimize waste (both physical and monetary) and to reduce and reuse as much as possible.  In the spirit of being green, I bought a damaged dress and had it refashioned and my husband wore a tuxedo that once belonged to his great uncle. Instead of having the members of our bridal party all wear the same dress, or even the same color, we give them a color pallet and let them choose something they could wear again.  My husband and I made the color card out of scraps of fabric and recycled magazines and sent a digital picture to everyone in the party.  My sister Eve - standing next to my husband - chose to wear the same dress she wore to my brother's wedding and my nieces picked dresses they could wear to other parties.  Even though the colors and styles were so different the result was beautiful!
    

A Toast to our Sponsor - cardgirl

Vintage Indie & Eco-Chic Weddings would like to send a "toast" to our indie sponsor Cardgirl . We are thrilled to have a wonderful custom & eco-chic invitation company with with us to celebrate Indie Weddings Month!

Set the tone with an eco-chic invitation. The cardgirl custom invitation studio designs eco-friendly invitations, programs, stationery, and any paper good desired to complete your vision.







They infuse your style into high quality materials and soy-based letterpress printing to express the individuality of your wedding day.

Eat Greener food with Emily of Eco-Chic Weddings

If you haven't checked out Etsy's Handmade Wedding Series today's a good day to start. Our very own Emily Anderson of Eco-Chic Weddings is there today with with her article on "Eat Greener Food".

Emily's Pick of the Day - Ashley Hilton

Ethical gold and sustainable jewelry are at the center of what's often referred to as "green washing." This is because the practice of mining gold and other precious metals and gemstones can rarely be done in a non-impactful fashion. Because of this, I most often recommend choosing vintage pieces. Ashley Hilton and his lovely work is an exception. Living in New Zealand, Ashley knows exactly where his materials come from--he can actually visit the mine near his home. And he is so serious about reducing his impact that he even learned how to fabricate his own metals. Not only are his designs ethical, they are also quite beautiful. And because each of his designs have not been mined or manufactured in a way that's destructive, his pieces have an intrinsic beauty that is truly rare.
- Emily
Eco-Chic Weddings